Never Ending Battalion
by Pranoy96
Summary: Shadow and Bolt, the new generation heroes decide to take up the mantle of the Arrow and the Flash respectively. What follows after that...read on to find out!
1. Chapters

**SEASON 1**

 **CHAPTER 1: The Shadow that makes the city bright**

 **CHAPTER 2: In a jiffy**

 **CHAPTER 3: Paradox**

 **CHAPTER 4: Old enemies resurface**

 **CHAPTER 5: The Setup**

 **CHAPTER 6: Stronger**

 **CHAPTER 7: Only a human**

 **CHAPTER 8: The Victor?**

 **CHAPTER 9: Vs Paradox**

 **CHAPTER 10: From the future**

 **CHAPTER 11: Speed**

 **CHAPTER 12: Matt and Alice**

 **CHAPTER 13: 'Black' Waters**

 **CHAPTER 14: Hostage**

 **CHAPTER 15: Arrow & The Flash**

 **CHAPTER 16: Supersonic**

 **CHAPTER 17: Identity**

 **CHAPTER 18: The last move ; The season finale. Spoiler Alert: Someone close takes the last breath.**


	2. Shadow

What does a shadow do? What is its purpose apart from being bleak? I had understood that a long time ago. It's been 2 years, since I have been trying to protect this city. Won't take all the credit though. I try to be a shadow as strong as possible, so the city basks in its light as bright as possible.

I have come a long way from being a menace to a revered vigilante. I work from the shadows, so that the people I care about do not get hurt. I am not just someone in some tight godforsaken spandex. This city is dying, evil slowly eating up its base. People live in the fear of their lives. I had taken up the responsibility of saving this city, the people. The _Green Arrow_ , _Batman, Superman_ , were powerful enough to protect their own. They gave me the inspiration to right the wrongs. I am not alone in this fight. I have friends who are willing to risk their lives for me and that's why….getting stronger day by day is the only option I have as I fear there may be a calamity so big, that may have me in a bind.

With a black suit strapped on and a bow across my back, I try to be a hero to those people who need a strand of hope to strive on while during the day I have the civilian identity of Matt Strong to maintain. The city has fallen into a dark abyss. I will crush this darkness by being an invisible force, a myth that walks out only in the night.

 **I am the SHADOW!**


	3. In a jiffy

"Mom I just saw the streak I think!" A kid in his early school years grabbed his mother's trench-coat unnerved at what he saw and could not comprehend. "You are reading a lot of comics nowadays, Willy!" She refused to believe the existence of the unexplained as she took hold of her son's hand and went across the street.

A yellow streak that you would miss on blinking an eye. "I love my life!" Bolt sped on the streets testing the limiters on his limitless speed.

"Bro, a fire broke out! Building just six blocks away on the Central Street." The Bolt kept contact with his team who were stationed at the COSMOS Labs, one of the pioneers in scientific infrastructure. Had been passed on to Kellum Renner, the brain behind the gadgets.

Bolt reached the scene. People screaming, covered in soot, crying for their lives. He tried to reach for them but the tremendous volume of fire kept him barred. "Guys! I can't! The fire will burn me to a crisp!" "Parker, your speed! Can you create a vacuum?" Matt was sitting in his office cabin and unknown to his colleagues was liaising with the Bolt to put a stop on the body count.

"Oh yes! Parker, you should be able to create a vacuum rotating your arms at a speed which should suck up all the flames in the vicinity." Kellum had planted the idea. It was now upto the Bolt for execution.

Feeling the speed surging through his body, he started rotating his arms. Soon the fire had been sucked up. The entire area was charred but the civilians were safe. One of the females caught a glimpse of the Bolt as he appeared to vanish into thin air. Taking a sigh of relief, the savior sped again onto the streets. "I need to get stronger. Matt can't do this alone. I am the one with powers! I should be able to take care of this myself" Parker had ambivalent thoughts springing up in his mind.

 ** _Flashback:_**

Parker West, an aspiring chemical biologist was strapped to a chair on top of the roof of some vacant building. There was a violent rainstorm raging on that day. He tried to get his dazed mind to work, however he had been knocked out pretty badly. As he regained his senses, he saw a silhouette in black covering his face with a hood. "Who are you?!"

"Would not want any witnesses right?!" The stranger spoke in a husky tone imbued with cynicism as he prepared the stage for his plan. "I am sorry for this, Parker. But this was the perfect day." Saying this, Parker was hit by a lightning bolt so strong and bright, that his screams echoed throughout.

The stranger vanished and Parker lied on the floor helpless, in a comatose state.


	4. Paradox

**_Flashback:_**

A violent shootout rummaged through the streets of some unknown suburb in China. Matt was being chased by the hoodlums of the OMEGA corporation. "Hello Uniyagi Senei! Thanks a lot for dragging me in this!" "My child, this mission will turn you into the perfect warrior. Embrace it….." Matt cut the call, infuriated as he could not recollect any day when he had asked for Mafia to get anal with him. He needed a distraction. He came across this cafeteria and immediately tried to take cover hoping he could escape this trip to hell.

 ** _Present:_**

Alice Cooper sipped a bit from the coffee cup as she needed the much needed hit from the drudgery of the security system updates she and Kellum were involved in. After the last year's incident of a potential security break-in, they could not risk exposing their secret identities especially of Shadow and the Bolt. Cooper, an Academic topper in the Field of Computer Application from the Penn State had quite the complex relationship with Matt. 'Complex' would actually be an understatement. Their friendship had been overcome by 'feelings' which were not very platonic.

"Guys any updates on the target" Matt broke in and stole an awkward yet understanding stare from Cooper. "Felix Brettman, goes by the code name, VAMPIRE. After 2 successful prison escapes, he is back in the business. He is now probably targeting the teens with his new drug, the whampyr." Cooper read out the information from the database to avoid staring at Matt.

"Location updates Alice?"

"Well, the illegal activity in the docks have increased by folds." She showed Matt footage showing one of the victims walking surreptitiously out of them followed by a black Benz which sped beyond the red traffic light.

"5 deaths since last 2 weeks, Matt. Not a small number, this guy needs to be taken down and fast….Here I upgraded the escrimas. They now come with tasers and can fire stun darts at a speed of 320 m/s. You should be able to take them down more easily now" Kellum handed Matt over his signature weapons. "What about Parker?" "He said, he had something important to take care of."

"Well, I guess it's only the shadow this time around." Saying this Matt suited up and took leave ready to hunt on his new prey.

Parker had just left his lab. It was a time for a much needed break. "Help me! I am trapped." A mysterious gastly voice echoed into his mind. "I have heard this before." He looked around to check whether anyone else was experiencing the same. "I did not know, the speedforce had side-effects." Parker sped into an ally way to clear the voice of his head, when a portal suddenly opened up in front of him.

"Holy F**k! I must be having a speed rush or something." Parker tried cracking a wise joke to stop feeling unnerved at the sight in front of him. "Help me!" And a hand just popped out reaching for something. Parker felt this connection with the unknown being and pulled him out with all of his strength and both tumbled down.

Brushing away the dirt of his coat, "Who are you?" Parker attempted to look mystified when the sight in front of him changed to that of a speedster with glowing red eyes and a jet black suit. His body was vibrating at a fast pace.

"Thank you for reviving me, the Flash!" The speedster caught Parker by the neck and pinned him to the wall.

 ** _At the Docks:_**

Shadow had been waiting for the Vampire to make his move when the black Benz took a turn in. "This ends now!"

 ** _Back to Parker:_**

"This ends now!" The speedster tried to strike fear in Parker.

He felt the threat of danger instantly and using his superhuman reflexes broke free from the deadly clutch. "Yeah, I can do that too, you know." He was serious now. Lightning brimmed in his eyes as he and the speedster engaged in a fight which a human could not conceive. Punches being thrown in rapid succession, inflicted damage on both. The street had now become a place for 2 speedsters to brawl.

 ** _At the COSMOS Labs:_**

"Alice, when are you going to confess?" Kellum was rooting for her and Matt to happen for quite a while now. He was getting impatient.

"What are you talking about?...By the way we should have installed a camera on Matt's suit as well, so that we could keep a track on him."

"Stop changing the topic! You are jeopardizing your relation with him by holding in your feelings… Also Matt does not like being watched, so yeah."

Alice looked at the coffee mug which was gifted to her by Matt. It read, "The World's Bestest Friend". "Not anymore probably", she thought.

"You are still a rookie, Flash!" The speedster taunted Parker as he lied wasted on the street. He was severly injured. "I could have ended this right now, but I realized the fact that killing people slowly is much more fun!"

"Paradox" He whispered into Parker's ear. Spitting at him, he vanished. Even Parker could not intercept him. He was slow. "He completely broke me with the same voice that had zapped me" He was tormented as he tried to get on his 2 feet.

On the other hand, Shadow completely dominated the Vampire and showed him the place he deserved to be in.

"Tell me, who are you working for!" He interrogated the now fangless Vampire into telling him the details.

"Hahahaha…Someone who needs the shadows to hide in can never fight against them!" Saying this he bit his tongue off and committed suicide.


	5. Old Enemies Resurface

**_Flashback:_**

It was nightfall and a blue streak was being chased by the shadow. The scene shifted to the rooftop. Shadow was in a pinch. Paradox far surpassed him in terms of speed. Rapid punches were being thrown at him. He was being flung from one end to the other. However, he too was not an average human. Being in top form, he was able to discern the attack patterns of the menacing speedster.

He shot an arrow which connected with the speedster. "You take me too lightly, Mr. Shadow. An arrow won't do shit to me." As he tried to speed up, the shadow immediately caught him off-guard and using his bow as a close combat weapon, threw the speedster a few feet away.

"My speed!" Paradox was baffled at the thought of not having the speed he was so proud of.

"Nanites to slow down your speed temporarily. Thanks to our encounters before." Shadow overpowered Paradox in close combat and had him pinned to the ground when, the speedster metabolized through the nanites affecting his body!

Matt was about to deliver a lethal blow when within a span of 5 seconds he got toppled over and beaten to the ground by Paradox. "Books said, you lived till about 70 years. Why don't we change that now?" Paradox sounded menacing, planning to kill the Shadow once and for all with his hand about to reach for his heart.

With his remaining strength, Matt attached a freeze bomb to Paradox's body which on detonating encased a part of his body in ice.

Because speed is produced by a build-up of heat in the target's atoms, speedsters are generally vulnerable to extreme cold temperatures.

Paradox gasped in shrieking pain, when Matt made an escape for it. He knew, he was not strong enough to fight someone of Paradox's caliber, especially when his foe had superhuman speed and rapid cellular regeneration.

 ** _Present:_**

"What happened out there Parker? It's a good thing I saw lying on the road!" Matt voiced his concern for his superhero buddy.

"Beaten up badly. Not strong enough to defeat him. I am weak." Paradox's voice still haunted him.

"Who?! You are supposed to be the fastest. Yet you get your ass handed over to you?" Kellum was a fan of the Bolt. Seeing him beaten to a pulp was pretty shocking for the fanboy.

"Paradox. A speedster. Unknowingly, I released him from this portal. We fought and now you see me over here, trembling!" Parker expressed his anguish over his defeat

"Can't be…Paradox?...I though he was killed?..." Matt' voice too had a tinge of fear embedded in it. Dead silence spread across in the room.

"You know that bastard? What happened? Can someone let me in on this? I am a rookie, right?!" Parker felt a strong contraction in his heart. Felt as if someone had pierced him with 'arrow'. Deep inside, he wanted to fight the Paradox again but without Matt's help. He wanted to prove himself out there.

"Paradox is…..strong. The reason for his apparent demise was his speed itself. That night, when we fought, I tried my best to tire him out. Something in him flipped. He wanted to kill me with his speed alone. His body started vibrating so rapidly, that eventually he disintegrated, that's what I had thought. But clearly that's not the case now."

"I want to get faster. I need to prove myself as the fastest. I have to stop him before he becomes a threat to the civilians." Parker had decided his way forward.

"You don't need to do this alone. We can do it together. It's better if you lay off some steam now." Matt tried to console him.

"Stop it, Matt! I am not resting now. You never had the chance to beat him. He is my foe and I will make sure he pays." Parker stormed out of the room leaving everyone baffled at his behavior. Matt felt a pinch in his gut, as he knew he was just a normal being and would only be a liability in the fight between 2 speedsters.

 ** _Flashback(II):_**

Matt had come out of the cafeteria, when the coast seemed clear. He wanted to get back home and headed the opposite direction. He was walking, when suddenly he felt a surge of fear enveloping his body. He reacted, catching the unknown arm behind and threw the man over using raw strength. They then engaged in a heated close combat battle. Thanks to the sensei's training, Matt was effectively able to deflect the onslaught of attacks and deliver effective blows to the OMEGA's henchman. However, it was indeed a one sided fight. When Matt went to deliver an elbow strike across the face, the guy took it only for him to then zap Matt with a stun gun.

The scene then shifted to a broken down HBD. "Where am I?" Matt regained consciousness only to see black everywhere. The cover on his head was removed, he felt blood gushing to his head as now he was tied upside down to a ceiling at the mercy of 5 well-built men.

"Good Morning, Mr. Matt Strong." A bald man, towering over 1.8 m puffing a cigarette made an entrance into the room. "Welcome to your torture chamber!"


	6. The Setup

**_Nightfall:_**

Hey you there! What are you doing at this time of the night?!" The security guard flashed his light at some stranger who apparently was seen absorbing energy from the plant.

"Power, more power! Feels so good." Without paying a heed he continued to munch on what looked like electricity.

"Stop it! I will shoot, you freak!" The guard was unnerved at what he just saw when a bolt created a gaping hole in his abdomen.

"Need more..power." The individual walked past the dead body and into the city hoping to satisfy his alluring hunger.

 ** _Day:_**

"Head of the Genesys Coorporation, Mr. Neclord Black has decided to construct new homes for the ones who recently lost them during the fire on the Central Street and hold a rehabilitation program for those innocents who were the pawns in the scheme of the notorious criminal, Felix Brettman. Here is Mr. Neclord being recorded over at a recent speech to honor the martyrs of the police department who last their lives over the past years dedicating themselves the city." (Recording plays) "I am grateful to these young men who gave up their lives to protect this city. This city has taken a dark turn over the past few years and I want to be the harbinger to change this. I will be standing for the position of the mayor this fall. I believe this city can be changed and this is possible if you people are with me on this." The news channel was filled with the noble deeds of the businessman.

"This guy has amazing marketing skills! The recent events are all playing in his favor. I wonder how would Matt be as a mayor." Alice chuckled

"Why the chuckle? And besides I don't do what I do for show like these guys." Matt believed in humility and also businessmen usually being sinister and calculative was his perception.

"Jealous much, Matt? After all you are the shadow, the protector of the night." Alice teased while they were sipping coffee at their favorite café.

"Parker, yesterday he was different. That frustration and anger, I felt was targeted towards me." Matt wanted to be there for his friend.

"Why don't you go talk to him? Paradox returning has taken a toll on everyone. Besides he was miserably beaten. The incident probably shook him." "I probably will. This tension between us has been continuing for the past few weeks."

"Faster!...Faster!" Parker was running on the treadmill back at the lab, specially designed to handle his speed.

"Going good, Parker! Keep up the speed." Kellum was monitoring his vitals…..and BOOM!

Parker flew backwards into a pile of boxes. "Dammit!" "Parker, your speed is still stagnant. You are losing your cool." "I can't help it alright! I want to get stronger when we encounter next." Parker was losing himself to frustration. "Cases like this, only Matt can talk to you."

"Matt can't help me in any way now. I am leaving. Will catch up later." Parker had been awfully grumpy these past few days.

"Just yesterday a guard was found dead with a hole in his abdomen area. Police investigation is still going on. Civilians are adviced to stay indoors at night." The news started flashing pictures of the body.

"Another creep on our hands." Matt and Alice stormed out of the café to further investigate the matter.

Parker being a part of the forensic team of the police department was available at the crime scene. Using his speed and perception, he was immediately able to gather the required information of the crime. "Detective Daniel Meyer, the hole in the body was created by extreme heat. Someone must have zapped him." "What, with lightning from the sky?! Unexplainable phenomenon have been occurring. We need to increase the security." Meyer was in a bad mood, especially when he could not explain the events around him.

"Another meta-human, I guess." Parker thought to himself, very well knowing that tonight was going to be a busy one.

 ** _At the COSMOS lab:_**

"OK. So the data we have now, the meta-human can probably control high powered electricity. The fact that he attacked a plant, would be so that he could zap it out of power." Kellum surmised

"So he is feeding and the next attack location would have to be another power plant and the largest one in the city is.." Alice continued and Parker finished.."The one near Bellington road, the main power supply to the city."

"Parker, suit up. Time to fight electricity." Matt proceeded to suit up when Parker insisted he could take him on his own. "Well, Matt, I can handle him. Besides, the shadow would only be a handicap against a super-powered being like him." Saying this Parker fled the lab.

"How could he just shoot Matt down like that?! Is everything okay between the two of you." Kellum was confused at the change of dynamics between the 2 heroes of the city.

"Everything is fine." Matt reassured him while doubting his own ability to help Parker and the city.

Parker reached the plant and as per their assumptions, located the meta trying to hog up the electricity of the city.

"Tasty, aint it?" Parker made his presence felt. "You are going down, my friend." He caught the meta off-guard and barraged him with punches and kicks and blew him a few feet away by rotating his arms. "Didn't I tell you guys? This would be a piece of cake." Parker was in contact with his friends back at the lab."

"Watch out!" Matt yelled.

The meta threw a beam of electricity at the Bolt sending him flying a few meters away. He continued to throw beams and Bolt continued to dodge them. Parker tried to get in close range but the meta's unorthodox attack pattern did not allow him to.

"This is your punishment for interrupting me, Bolt." The meta was ticked off and spoke in an electrically distorted manner. "How about I eat your powers up?!" Saying this he zapped Parker and started eating away the electricity generated by the speedster's body.

"AAAH! I fee….feel weak!" Parker's body could not hold up.

"Parker, get out of there! He is going to f**king kill you!" Matt yelled into his microphone at the top his voice which woke some sense into the now dazed Parker. Using the remaining strength, Parker ran and reached the lab in a tattered state.

"This is not over yet, Bolt! I am going to eat you completely!" The meta fled the scene having his hunger satisfied at the moment.

"Parker! You okay!" Matt ran for his aid. Regaining his senses, he said, "I think, I lost my speed…."

 ** _Flashback(III)_**

Matt was beaten black and blue by the goons while he was tied up. "Who sent you here, Matt? If you value your life, give it away." Jekyll, the bald dude was sitting and enjoying the scene of Matt shrieking in pain. Yet, Matt kept quiet. His tolerance to pain was very high and besides he could not put his sensei's life in danger.

"Stop it, boys!" Jekyll walked towards the half broken body of Matt Strong. "Pretty good scars, you have got here! But this tattoo looks so familiar. You are the disciple of Uniyagi, right, Matty boy?!"

"How the hell? You dare do anything to him!" He still had the strength left to threaten.

"Your eyes are so strong and beautiful! I would love to crush them. After all, we have a connection, since you are my fellow disciple, Matt Strong."

"Uniyagi?..."The bewildered Matt asked.

"Yes, him." Jekyll's eyes reflected the devil. The scene then blackens.


	7. Stronger

"How is his progress?" Matt came over to check on Parker who was busy running on the treadmill.

"Still no progress. I am not able to comprehend the reason behind him losing his speed. Molly told she would be coming to help out." Kellum and Molly used to work together until then parted ways. While he was busy helping the vigilantes fight crime, she took up the role of a research biologist at Mercury Labs. Well the job came with perks.

Parker clenched his fist in helplessness. For him speed was everything. He had lost a part of him he treasured. "Guys, I need a breather." He left the room to sulk on his own.

"Guys, I am leaving too. Mr. Neclord has held a meeting with the board of directors." Matt was one of the brilliant engineering minds who heralded the company's position to the top in the past few years. It was quite an honor for him to attend the meeting, however Black's presence was kind of offsetting.

 ** _Flashback(Parker):_**

A teenaged Parker was seen rushing back home worried. He stopped on his tracks, his legs shivering as his house was now barricaded by the police who were carrying out their investigation. Parker ran towards the scene and proceeded to enter the house, when the officers caught hold of him and told him that it would be better if he were not to witness the crime scene. He saw his parents' bodies covered in cloth, being taken into the ambulance.

"If only I had been fast…." Parker could not control the stream of tears rolling down his cheek. "If only I had listened."

A strong, firm hand was placed on his shoulder by Deputy (Now ex) Hans Wilmer. "You can cry on my shoulder, if you want kid. Let your emotions out. Don't hold them in. It will only cause you more pain." Parker cried vehemently, as he had realized he had lost his 2 pillars of life.

 ** _Present:_**

"Welcome to the meeting, gentlemen. Really appreciate you to take your time for this one. Mr. Neclord Black here, as you know an aspiring philanthropist wanted our views and actions on the recent destruction that has befallen this city. Being a pioneer in the industrial sector, he thought our company had the power to make the cure for this city." The 34 year old Maximillan Raventail, the CEO of the company addressed the board of directors to the meeting. "Before we continue, I would like to break the fact, that I have now decided to step down as the CEO and work as an external consultant of the company. I would like Mr. Matt Strong, who has been one of the reasons for our recent success to step up and take my place."

There was stinging silence in the room. Matt could not believe his ears himself. Black broke into claps to break the awkward ice that had settled down. The board of directors complied.

"Thank you, Mr. Raventail. I really appreciate the fact and I will make sure the company is launched to even greater heights under my guidance and expertise." Matt had lost his air of nervousness. He had to portray himself as the reliable CEO of the upcoming ATOM Industries and he was playing his part indeed very well. Matt proceeded to shake Mr. Black's hand. "You have got a strong handshake over there, young man." Black responded. "With Mr. Raventail's consent, I would now like to hand over to Mr. Black." Matt was desperate to know Black's plan of action. After all the so called philanthropist was presenting before the vigilante who had been serving to keep the city safe for the past 2 years now.

"Well gentlemen, I would like the address the plague of this city. This city has been dying. I don't blame the police officers. They are trying their best. However, it can be clearly seen it is out of their hands right now."

One of the board of directors, Dave Akerman interrupted, "What about the mysterious vigilante who is called the Shadow?"

"A fake! A complete blasphemy!" Neclord's eyes became blood red with contempt. "The so called vigilante is the menace, one of the root causes the city is dying. The more he fights, the more the demons come to plague this city. He is inspiring evil to prevail…That is why I am here to propose the solution to it. This city needs to be rebuilt, from scratch. Power needs to be reasserted to the rightful owners…..And by rebuilding this city, I mean breaking it down first." Those sinister eyes had the ability to suffocate any normal being in its gravity.

"Preposterous!" Dave completely refuted the idea. A commotion spread amongst the directors. The word 'Power' cleverly used by Black had many of them in some mystical form of mind control. Matt clenched his fists in anger, but Maxmillan told him to calm down and not make any rash decisions.

"I will be giving you a week's time, gentlemen. We can then proceed with the POA. Also Mr. Matt, your expertise would be of utmost help in this situation, as I am trusting your company now to provide us the leverage with its resources…..Also I hope no word is spoken about this outside, since its highly confidential. I hope you people know how to abide by rules as those who don't end up getting punished." Saying this Black left the hall. Matt's suspicions about Black were just turning true one by one. He was not how he portrayed himself to be. "The city is in grave danger. I can feel it." Matt thought to himself. "Matt meet me tomorrow if possible." Raventail left with an uneasy feeling which did not go unnoticed by Matt.

 ** _Flashback(IV):_**

"Clearly Uniyagi had not given you the complete details of the mission. What a fool, to trust that scum?" Jekyll took out a tube containing a green serum. "Chem X, a drug that makes a human, well, a superhuman. With this, an army of superhuman soldiers can be made a reality."

"Huh! You mean, killing machines? I did know, humans were being tested on for some purpose which resulted in thousands of deaths. You are endangering the lives of innocents to create slaves for yourself!" Matt tried to break free.

"Attaboy! You don't look like one, but you are quite the observant one! Peace can be spread across the world with this. Fear struck in the hearts of the opponents. It will be a milestone!"

"This will just inspire more sinister plans of world domination. Such power will end up corrupting the people. The peace you talk about is f**king relative and your idea of peace is completely f**ked up!"

"Cannot believe you still have the strength to open your trap. Well think what you can, because you are not going to stop me."

Unkown, to the opponent as well as Matt, a tracer had been embedded in Matt's body.

 ** _Present:_**

Parker was dilly dallying through the streets. He felt as if he had lost all his purpose of life. When he received his powers, he wanted to help people, bring a smile on their faces, probably to help escape his own personal turmoil of coping up with his parents' murders. He had just received a text from Kellum asking him to report asap. He brushed past a stranger who had kept his face covered. "I am sorry." Parker headed towards his destination. "I have finally found you." The stranger mumbled to himself in an electronically distorted voice.

 ** _At the COSMOS Labs:_**

Everyone had been gathered at the lab. Molly had just finished examining Parker's body.

"Alright, the crux is simple. Parker's unique biology iis what causes his body to produce massive amounts of electricity, which basically keeps his molecules charged for accelerated movements. However it seems he has been drained of the electricity which is causing his loss of powers." Molly ranted on hoping that people around her could understand the technical jargon she was spewing.

"Wow, it was this simple and I was clueless about it. I envy you, Molly." Kellum thanked Molly for taking her time to be there.

"Not a big deal. In fact, I am so psyched right now. I can see the Bolt and the Shadow in the same frame!" She was clearly fangirling over the 2 heroes.

"Guys! I am the one facing an issue here. Don't just brush me aside." Parker was clearly not amused.

"Oh sorry…that's pretty much it. Your body is not able to generate the electricity needed to jumpstart your speed."

"But isn't his power genetically coded to his DNA. It's kind of fishy, he just lost it and won't get it back." Alice wanted to address the issue at hand.

"Well, there is possible way he can…" Molly was unsure if it would work.

"What is it? I think so Parker is desperate enough to try any of the methods you suggest." Matt's mind was in 2 states after what happened at the meeting.

"We could use more electricity to jumpstart his body." Molly quickly uttered the solution afraid at the reaction she would get.

"Let's do it. I don't care how risky it is. Honestly, I am done waiting. Hand me the cables." Parker was getting impatient.

"Woah, woah, there young man. You do realize they used to torture people like that. Who knows, what may happen to your body? You may burn to a crisp." Kellum and Alice were unsure about this.

"It's just as Parker says. We don't have much time. Besides, his healing ability would cover for the damage taken." Matt reinforced Parker in is recklessness.

"Are you in your right mind, dude?"

"Just do it!" Parker and Matt said synchronously.

Parker held to cables in his hand, with a wooden stick across his mouth to help him withstand the shock.

"One, two, three…" Kellum switched on the voltage supply. Alice and Molly closed their eyes as they could not bear watching a live person being electrocuted for his own personal gain.

Boom!...Parker was sent flying backward, due to the shock. "Parker!" Everyone just rushed toward him hoping desperately that something serious did not happen.

A few minutes later, he regained consciousness. "Did it work?" Parker tried vibrating his hand. It indeed did at superhuman speed, however it slowed down and came to a halt.

"Why didn't it work? The effect was just temporary." Parker was exasperated.

"Probably not enough electricity." Molly said sheepishly

Parker was fuming and stormed out of the room when Matt caught up with him. "Parker, what is the deal with you?!"

"You are acting bratty." Matt wanted to know the reason behind his friend's questionable behavior.

"I am acting bratty?! Lose your powers and then see how it feels….oh sorry, you don't have any!"

"What is the deal with you? Are you pissed at me? If I have done anything wrong, let me know. Those people there are trying their best to cure you. Your actions are not helping in any way, just slowing the process down."

"Why should you be wrong, Matt? The Shadow is always right!" Parker was cynical. "After all you are the leader of the wolf pack. My speed mattered to me. I had been given the ability to save people, make them happy. I had the power to protect people out in the day and not in the shadows unlike you!" Parker went on, not realizing the caustic words he was hurling at his own friend.

"It was the person in the suit who made him a hero, Parker. You will always be one. Nothing has changed." Matt tried to calm Parker's nerves down.

"You did not lose anyone dear to you, so you don't know, Matt!" The conversation was getting louder by the minute. Kellum feared when it would turn into a fist fight.

"Guys! Can we address the situation at hand? Blackout, the name I gave the meta, is in the city! That's why I had called you!" Kellum tried raising his voice too. "Yesterday the area near the bay suffered a blackout, the reason being the meta had zapped the power of that area. It's likely to assume that he is getting stronger by the minute."

"I cannot do anything without my speed. I guess it is up to the Shadow now." Parker cynically retorted giving a glare at Matt.

Just then, the lights started flickering in the lab. "Wh-What is happening? Don't tell me, the existence of the paranormal?" Molly clenched Alice's hand.

"Something worse. Blackout broke into the lab." Kellum was shivering

"Did not expect such a huge crowd over here." The meta was in front of them with beam of electricity enveloping his hands. Pointing at Parker, "Finally I get to eat you up completely."


	8. Only a human

"Guys run!" They proceeded to head for the other exit while Matt decided to act as the decoy.

"You are not going anywhere!" The meta started throwing beams of electricity obliterating everything out of his path, when an explosive arrow threw him a few meters away..

"Not letting you go anywhere!" Matt was suited up and ready

"We need to help him!" Parker was being dragged along but he wanted to help Matt fight.

"And then, risk you getting burnt to crisp?! We are heading for the other exit! Matt is holding that freak back for our sake. Let it count!" Alice tried holding her fear of Matt being obliterated back.

Meanwhile Matt dodged the incoming streaks of electricity being hurled at him by Blackout. He took cover behind a desk.

"Dammit! This setup is not good! He is burning my arrows like paper! Need to move the location." Matt was on the edge, but his calculative mind was thinking of all scenarios possible.

"How about a game of cat and mouse?!" Matt taunted the meta knowing that he would fall for it. Matt made the meta chase him in the alley, when he turned off the lights making it pitch dark.

"Let me see how you fight someone, who has been molded by darkness!" Matt dealt strong blows to the meta. It was pitch black and the meta was at the mercy of his enemy.

Matt did not want to kill his enemy, shooting him with tranquilizer arrows. "This should keep you down!" However little did he know, how angry he had made the meta.

Matt approached him from behind, just to check his status when his arm was caught in a lock. Blackout had burnt through the tranquilizers effect and this time the electricity around him not blue but red reflecting pure rage. The alley lit up with an insane power burst.

"Oh boy…" Matt was blown away with impact.

Meanwhile the others had reached the garage at the other end. Kellum started the car, but it went out of power soon. "Shit! He is here!"

Matt was blown across the wall , with the meta towering over him. "Finally, I find you, Bolt!" His eyes gleamed red.

Parker was scared, a cold jolt ran down his spine. The meta proceeded to envelop his hand with electricity. However Alice, Kellum and a scared to death Molly shielded the speedster. "Go through us first!"

"With pleasure" The meta was planning to blow through the pile of humans when an arrow just pierced him from behind and went…BOOM!

"I am not dead, yet!" Matt had launched a powerful explosive to counterattack the powered being. He was bleeding, his Kevlar suit half torn but still he remained standing to protect his friends.

Parker grinded his teeth in anger at his own cowardice. He wanted to protect his friends who were ready to lay their lives down for him.

"I am going to kill you, the so called shadow of the city!" The meta raged on in anger and pushed Matt back with his beam. "Run Parker run!" Matt was ready to die in order to protect the speedster.

Seeing his friend in his supposedly last moment, Parker felt a burst of enveloping emotions which channeled in his bode like lightning. In a split second, Blackout burnt a hole through the wall with Matt nowhere in sight.

"Missed me!" Parker yelled bringing Matt to safety. "Lets play, psycho!"

Parker did not try to escape the meta's attacks but rather instigated him to do so. The meta zapped Parker and continued to do so. However Parker proceeded forward writhing in agony.

"What is he doing?!" Matt barely being able to stand was supported by Alice.

"He is trying to choke him….with power.."Molly could not believe her eyes.

"Why won't you fall?!" The meta continued his attempt yet Parker seemingly unfazed moved on. This time around, the meta screeched in pain and was blown back and laid down on the ground lifeless. Parker now exhausted, gasped for breath, looking in Matt's direction concerned for his safety.

Matt was being examined for any internal injuries. "I am fine, Alice. Seriously." "Tell that to your doctor. I am not going to listen until I am sure."

"Parker, your molecules now are brimming with energy like never before. This can probably be the key to you increasing your speed." Kellum and Parker viewed the speedster's physiology on screen.

"Matt could I talk to you for a second?" Parker wanted to settle things between them.

"I am sorry." Both uttered synchronously.

"You were right. I am only a human and yet I tried to enforce on you because somewhere inside I thought you were still young and needed help. I did not trust you enough." Matt was being apologetic and others were rather amused by it.

"I am the one sorry for all those harsh words I uttered. I was frustrated. I wanted to prove to you that I am strong. You despite not having any powers, gave a hard time to that meta. It was wrong on my part to call you a handicap." Parker was fidgety.

"That's not all there is to say right, Parker?" Matt had seen through him.

"I want to fight you fair and square. I want to prove myself as a strong fighter who is capable of taking the Shadow on." Parker was serious. Matt too understood the gravity of his friend's request. "Time and place, I decide. Atleast, that leverage I ought to have on you."

"Are you guys, for real?" Kellum was confused at the so called bromance between the 2 heroes.

Molly on the other hand was too excited to handle. Her idols in the same frame fighting each other. "If only it were for me", she wished.

 ** _Flashback(Parker):_**

Parker was lying on the hospital bed in a coma. He was being looked at by an unknown visitor. "You will be fine, Parker. Just a few months." Just then the visitor was held in chokehold by Matt who had come to drop by. "Who are you?! Pretty shady for a visitor." The stranger gasped for breath and broke the chokehold, but revealing a part of the cover that draped over his face.

"You are…" Matt was shocked. The visitor flashed out of the room before his eyes.

"Parker…?" Matt could not believe his eyes. The screen blacks out.


	9. The Victor?

Dave Akerman had been sedated for a while now. "Where am I?"

"Welcome, Mr. Dave! I heard you were not very fond of me. Is it true?" Black looked hurt and retorted in a sarcastic manner. "Don't worry, this won't take much of your time. I am just going to educate you about what may happen, if you turn down my proposal at the meeting next week…Your wife and kids are very beautiful, I must say." Black held the pictures of Dave's family in front of him.

"You swine! What have you done?! Please spare them….not them please!" Dave was moved to tears thinking of the position his family might be in.

"Oh my, did not expect it to be this easy. Mr. Dave they will be fine as long you comply with the rules I have set. You are family man, so you ought to understand the importance of one. I have a family too. I really enjoy their company. Won't know what would happen to me without them." Black sounded somewhat melancholy but picked up the pace of sarcasm soon afterward. "So Mr. Dave, hope you understand the situation you have put me in."

The day had arrived for Parker and Matt to trade blows and finally decide who was the strongest.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't know, I feel you are putting your relation with Parker at stake here." Alice tried to make Matt give up the idea of brawling with the speedster.

"You are wrong this time, Alice. The relation will remain strained, if I don't do so. This time around Parker and I can only talk to each other through fists. Words won't do any good."

"Please don't kill each other. I may not understand the lingo you talk in. But losing my friends, you, I cannot handle."

Parker was bare bodied, throwing a series of fast punches and kick against a test dummy who just lost its head.

"Hey! Hey! Go easy on this poor creation of mine, dude! Its pretty rare for you to be here. Pumped up?" Kellum tried reassembling his shambled dummy.

"He is my toughest opponent. Fighting him would make me stronger. I want to see for myself, how can Shadow a normal human be on par with Bolt? He is going to show me the difference and I want to be prepared to handle it." Kellum had never seen Parker so serious before.

 ** _Flashback:_**

Paradox and Flash emerge from a portal, engaging in a speed battle on the lone streets of the city. However it did not stick to only the streets. Across buildings, in the air, the 2 arch rivals exchanged blows.

"Don't you admit this is fun, Flash?!"

"This is not going to last long, Paradox!" The Flash dominated Paradox in the battle of speed. However, Paradox was ready to do anything to win. Just as when they got into close contact combat, he injected the Flash from his blindspot with what seemed to be some kind of toxin.

The Flash quickly burnt through it, however it was enough for Paradox to deal a critical blow. Tripping the Flash and flinging him at high speed through the glass door.

"Your speed is now mine!" He dug his hand into Flash's body stealing away his source of power and vanished from plain sight.

 ** _Present:_**

The alleys of Churchwood street were empty apart from Matt and Parker preparing to indulge in their battle.

"This is really happening." Parker was getting psyched.

"Shadow or Bolt? The question of the day!" Matt was ready to prey.

"I cannot watch." Alice and the team were observing the fight through the microcam on Bolt's suit.

"3….2….1!" Parker closed in on Matt and circled him around in frenzy. Punches came out in an unorthodox manner throwing Matt from one end to the other. Yet Matt was calculating every move with his eyes. There was not even a moment, he lost sight of the streak. When Parker thought he had gained advantage and was about to throw the next set of punches, Matt ducked.

His punch was dodged! Matt threw in his fist as an uppercut rendering Parker in a daze for a moment. But that was enough for Matt to close in on him with 2 more punches to his chest and rib area throwing the speedster back to the wall.

"You slowed down, Parker! Thought I could not handle it?! Guess again! Come at me seriously or I may end breaking you!" Matt taunted deliberately.

"You are talking to a speedster here. Challenging me will cost." Parker smirked with bolts surging through his eyes and veins. He changed his attack pattern. Using the alleys to his advantage to gain momentum, his punches connected with the vigilante of the dark. Matt was thrown several feet away. He lay down on his back staring at the sky. "So he is serious after all huh?" He thought to himself. Getting back up, he tried to gasp for breath when Parker snatched his quiver.

"So much for being tactful, right? Your quiver is now with me, Matt. I guess we can conclude this match now." Parker was sure of himself.

"I have other gadgets too, you know." Saying this Matt activated the freeze bomb he managed to attach to the speedster's body just before he snatched the quiver away.

Parker's leg started enveloping in shard of cold ice rendering his ability to stay on his feet useless. "Dammit! Right on my legs!" Parker was unaware of this frontal when Matt kneed him on the face taking his quiver away.

"Never take away my prized possessions." Matt retorted in the same manner Parker did before.

"This fight is the best I have ever seen. While Matt is a calculative fighter, Parker is more unorthodox and his moves are more flashy and out of the place. However his speed fairly compensates for the handicap." Kellum was assessing the fight till now, not being able to predict a clear winner in any case.

"Not only that, I feel Parker has the advantage due to his superhuman stamina and cellular regenerative abilities. If the fight were to extend, Matt may run out of gas leaving Parker as the victor." Molly joined in too.

"Please don't tell me, you guys are having this conversation right now." Alice was worried for both of heroes and did not want any casualty which would bring about a strain in their relationship.

Parker's vulnerability to extreme cold temperatures slowed him down. He vibrated his arms at a fast pace and rubbed it on the affected area, generating enough friction to melt away the accumulated ice. Suddenly 2 arrows just flew right at him, with parker catching them mid- air. "Still worth a shot." Matt shrugged.

"Its payback time!" Parker started circling around Matt initiating a vacuum to suck up all the oxygen in the confined space.

Due to the lack of oxygen, Matt started to feel dazed. His consciousness was fading. Using his grappling hook arrow he got away from the zone, but before he could reach the top of the building, Parker reached there cutting off the hook. Matt was now falling down 20 meters, however he slowed down in his momentum using another of his grappling hooks. However , before Matt could react Parker landed a series of blows of him. Hooks, jabs were all over the place.

Just when Matt was about to react, Parker backed away at full speed. "Maintaining distance from me, huh? Well you have been learning your lessons." Matt thought to himself. But he had no choice to but to close in on the speedster. Close combat was the only thing he could dominate him in. Matt launched an arrow with a poker-face. Parker did not feel the need to catch it midair and simply dodged it.

"Won't work on me, Matt!" Parker grinned thinking that he was in the best position to win now.

"You laid down your guard again!" The arrow which Parker dodged ended up exploding behind throwing the speedster off balance due to the impact. Just then Matt closed in on him and with no opening dealt a strong blow to the head to render him unconscious. However healing capabilities proved to be the vigilante's disadvantage. Nevertheless Matt continued his onslaught, hitting Parker at pivotal areas. Slowly throughout the barrage, the speedster was learning too. He increased his guard against the attacks that were coming in. Matt was indeed fast in close combat. However, every human ceases the zone at some point of time. Parker used this opportunity to react. He dealt strong rapid blows to Matt's torso pushing him back and created a wind funnel with his arms blowing the vigilante away.

"Matt! I knew you injected me with some kind of tranquilizer during the fight! However, my metabolism burnt through it!" Parker was gasping for breath while Matt stayed down on his knees.

"This guy was fast enough to slip in a tranquilizer without me noticing. His knowledge in close combat is insane." Parker thought to himself.

"As expected from a speedster. Even the smallest of opportunities I get is sealed away due to the god-like speed he possesses." Matt proceeded to get up.

"He is strongest opponent I have fought till now." Both of them had this synchronous thought which inspired them to be stronger. They were now not fighting to determine the strongest, but simply fighting for fun. This was the best way to enjoy each other's company.

"Let's end this!" Both of them prepared themselves.

"Oh God! Time has come! Shadow or Bolt? Who is the victor in this seamless battle?" Kellum exclaimed sounding just like a news reporter not being able to contain his inquisitiveness.

Parker and Matt were about to trade blows, when a thunderous sound made a debut and both the heroes found themselves hit by an unseen impact throwing them a considerable distance away.

"Guess what?! I am back!" This menacing voice, Parker had clearly memorized this. It was none other than Paradox's.

"The arrow and the flash in the same frame! Wow, this is so exciting!"

Matt launched an arrow, but in a split second found it retracing it path back to him! Matt just caught the arrow before it pierced his neck. A drop of sweat fell down his cheek. Paradox was on a whole new level. A split second later and the vigilante would have been dead.

Paradox glared at Bolt. "I hope you are better than before, Flash. Don't disappoint me tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day, I outdo both of you, destroy you and hang you over the top of the city making you a subject to their cries and false hopes."

"Just who are you?!" Parker was infuriated over the torment he had faced last time. "Catch me to find out!" Paradox flashed out. Parker could have followed but did not. He knew he could not handle Paradox alone, not at this stage. He needed Matt's help to gain an advantage.

"Do you still want to continue or…?"

"Nopes. I got my answer. You are very strong, Matt and I want your help to defeat Paradox."

"We need each other to protect our backs. " Matt forward his hand for a lifelong truce and Parker accepted it knowing that the next time they fought, it would be for each other and not against.


	10. Vs Paradox(Part I)

**_Flashback(V):_**

Matt was alone in the abandoned, shambled HBD hanging down like a bat. His 'caretakers' had gone out take a little break while Jekyll had left teasing something ominous to happen. He did not have time to waste. Matt started exerting pressure and pulled the chains as much as his remaining strength allowed him to. He kept going on at it.

After a few rigorous attempts, the chains barring his hands gave way. Now for his legs. He raised himself up and pulled onto them, breaking them off as well. While he was busy freeing himself off the chains, his opponents realized their mistakes and barged into the room. Using his chains to his advantage, Matt engaged in vicious combat with them. The way the chains were used to fight seemed to straightaway come out of the Shaolin handbook. He had taken out 4 of them. Unfortunately the last one proved to be sturdier. He got punched in his gut and the face by the huge cannon sized arms. Matt was about to get knocked out, when a sword just pierced through his opponent cutting him down.

"Missed me?" The savior asked

 ** _Present:_**

There was pin drop silence, heartbeats reverberating through the entire room. Dilemma ravaged on in the minds of the people.

"So….you guys actually going to face off against Paradox again?" Kellum broke the silence.

"We don't have a choice, do we?" Parker felt uneasy. The last time he faced off against the monster, he got completely broken by the sheer speed. But he could not brush away the fact that someday they would cross fists again. This time around, he was getting anxiety attacks.

"You are not in it alone, Parker. Like I said before, we have to look for each other's backs. You handle the short range, while I handle the long range." Matt place a comforting hand on Parker's shoulder.

"I can't stop the 2 of you right now. He may endanger the lives of many, if you two back out now. But still, I cannot hold this terrible ache in my heart. Probably a premonition of something bad." She loved both of them too much to lose them.

"We have to try. We cannot lose hope! I am scared too! But…..but we have to take the chance. The chance to protect this city and end this nightmare plaguing it!" Matt kept reinstating. He was probably even more freaked out than Parker, yet he held himself strong. "Kellum, I need to talk to you regarding an upgrade." Saying this Matt borrowed Kellum.

Raventail was sweating profusely. He was having an attack. He reached for the pills in his desk and took them with great difficulty. "I have made a huge mistake. This should not have happened!...But what could I have done? I had no choice, no way out. But now Matt has become the pawn for my sake. I have to inform him. This cannot continue for long." His head was crooning, splitting apart from all the wrong decisions he made till this point.

The next day seemed pretty melancholic. The wind blew as normal. Civilians carried out their activities as normal. The day was normal as any other however fighting Paradox seemed to be on the heads of both Matt and Parker. They both needed a breather from the recent turn of events.

While Matt assigned his one of the most trusted employees as the acting CEO for a day, to catch up on the part of his life that was still a normal civilian. While Parker on the other hand went on to catch up with someone.

Hans Wilmer, the ex Deputy of the police Department and also the foster father of Parker opened to door, pleasantly surprised to find him outside the apartment.

"Hi Hans…I wanted someone to talk to." Parker shared an awkward hug with him. It had been over a year since he had met the detective.

 ** _Flashback(Parker):_**

After his parents' death, Parker's life treaded down. He had become more cold, a recluse and it had become difficult for Hans, his legal guardian to take care of him. He was grateful for him to take of him and pay for his education, however Parker just could not stay in that neighborhood as it reminded him of his parents' murder every moment.

"So you decided…" Hans looked on

"I am going to start anew in the city, Hans. You have inspired me to join the police department and that's what my aim is now. However, I won't be able to focus as long as I am over here. You had told me once, that time would heal…..well it's going to take time." Parker had done packing his bags.

"No matter where you, Parker, I will always treat you as my own son." That line just got tears in their eyes and they hugged it out as both of them had no idea when they would meet next.

 ** _Present:_**

"I am really happy for you, Parker. You make me feel like a proud father…but I also know you did not come all the way here to just meet me." The detective was sharp as usual.

"I wanted your advice. Last year's been a wrecking ball. At times I feel, I don't have what it takes to protect those dear to me." Parker tried not to disclose his secret identity.

"Kid, if you are still thinking about your parents, its time you graduate from that zone. It was not your fault. Even if you had the power to save them, life would have taken something more from you. That's how the cycle is. It is upto you now to decide whether to gain the inspiration to become stronger to protect the people you love from now on or still ponder over the past. What you have is humanity, which nobody can take away from you. Your strength is the humanity you possess, the power to forgive, the power to become strong only for other's sake." Hans probably did not know about Parker being a superhero, however he had now inspired Parker in a way no one ever could.

"Thanks, Hans. It means a lot. I was glad I could catch up with you." Parker's heavy heart had now started feeling a lot lighter.

"Care to have a drink with this old man, before you leave?"

"Sure….dad."

 ** _Nightfall:_**

Bolt and Shadow were waiting at the rooftops, ready to fight awaiting Paradox's appearance.

"This is going to be fun." Paradox took a stance.

"You cannot handle both of us!" Matt prepared his bow.

"Lets end this!" Sparks enveloped Parker's body as he and Paradox zoomed into each other.


	11. Vs Paradox(Part II)

"Move Parker, Move!" Matt was trying to get a clear aim at Paradox as he and Parker were involved in a speed chase which went on in circles.

Parker threw in some punches but got blocked. In turn Paradox used his opponents momentum as a leverage and tossed him into the nearby wall. However he forgot to account for Matt as he got shot with nanobots that neutralized his speed. Matt used his recurve bow to deal some damage to the speedster and dealt a roundhouse kick. "Parker! He is yours!"

Parker beat Paradox using his momentum and did so in a crisscross fashion. However good things don't last for long. Paradox quickly recovered and countered Parker. Matt launched another dosage, but this time Paradox was fast enough to substitute himself with Parker.

Parker was now without speed and there was no one to protect Matt from Paradox's horrifying speed. "This is the worst case scenario." Matt thought to himself.

Paradox closed in on Matt in the blink of an eye and kept on connecting hard hitting blows combined with momentum until the vigilante started to bleed.

"Matt!" Parker had to do something before his friend got killed.

"You are so f**king slow!" The villainous speedster grinned at Matt's deplorable state. However, Matt still looked for the smallest of opening possible. He aimed for Paradox's legs and dealt a blow as strong as possible to trip him. Matt then followed it with 2 blows to the cranium and a straight to the jaw leaving for Parker to finish the combo.

Paradox was stunned at the capacity of the vigilante, when Parker performed a sneak attack from behind hitting him with an uppercut to the jaw.

Paradox was down on the ground, recuperating. "Not bad….its going to be more fun to destroy you now." He smeared off the blood that gushed out his mouth.

Matt launched an arrow soon afterward which exploded mid-air into smoke. Paradox cleared the fumes using a wind funnel, however Matt was nowhere in sight. He was below him on the ground and launched a light blinding arrow upwards temporarily stealing away the speedster's sight.

Matt passed across the speedster and jumped backwards to maintain a distance, but this time shooting a freeze bomb followed by an exploding arrow straight to the chest.

2 mins had passed and Matt had executed the perfect combo stealing away his opponent's sight and ability to move.

Parker who was still out of speed gasped at the scene, completely amazed at Matt's ability to execute. "If he had done that yesterday….what would have happened?" He could not help but think.

Paradox laid down against a wall after bearing the brunt of successive attacks by Matt. He clenched his fist in anger at the fact that he was out bested by a normal human in a spandex. He was serious now. He had to kill Matt in order to kill Parker.

Matt did not stop there and continued launched another of his explosive arrows, but this time around, Paradox repelled the impact. 2 more arrows came his way and in the blink of an eye, the speedster shot them back at the vigilante.

Parker having finally regained his speed, appeared in the nick of time and stopped the arrows mid-air. Paradox was exuding a powerful killing intent. His speed force surrounded him in the form of blue sparks. "Playtime is over, kids."

Parker flashed forward, but Paradox changed his pattern and went toward Matt. Punching Matt in the gut, he took him a feet in the air and pummeled him downwards. Parker ran for it, catching Matt and bringing him to safety.

"Parker," Matt gasped for breath, "Can you handle him for some time? I need some time to heal at a distance." Parker realized that his friend was almost reaching the limit of his stamina. It was upto him now, to close the gap in power.

The 2 speedsters chased each other till the highest point in the rooftop. Paradox was faster, but scientifically when 2 object are under free fall, their velocity remains the same. Parker used this to his advantage and gained an upper hand. Both speedster traded and blocked blows. Paradox punched Parker's torso multiple times, Parker elbowed his opponent using his body weight and momentum against him to throw him a considerable distance away.

"You have gotten better and stronger I see. Well, this is good, since now I can have more power for myself."

"You are not taking away my speed, Paradox!" Parker flashed in, but Paradox created a speed mirage. Parker was a second too late as now he got punched right in the jawline and Paradox penetrated his chest using his demonic fingernails.

Parker shrieked in pain. He could not get out of his clutch. Parker vibrated his arms at rapid frequency developing a large amount of static charge. He then pushed his opponent backwards shocking him like a defibrillator. "That was a fluke shot." Parker narrowly escaped him.

"Look at you! Pathetic! Look at that human, still trying to recuperate, hah! 2 vs 1 and still the game's victor has been decided." Paradox boasted as he had outdone the 2 so called saviors of the city. Matt was supposedly down for the count, him bleeding all over. Parker had just nearly gotten his speed stolen and he had no trump cards up his sleeve.

"Well you did forget the reason, I made you run so much, Paradox!" Parker grinned.

"What?!" Paradox looked around him and saw a pentagram formation of arrows placed.

"Time to go, boom!" Parker gestured with his hand. Matt activated the arrows.

The arrows shot the speedster inside with high volts of electricity and acted as lightning rods zapping him of his electrical energy powering up his molecular speed.

"You b**tards!" Paradox weakened as his speed was being zapped.

 ** _Flashback (a few moments before):_**

Kellum had worked on these arrows which Matt trusted Parker to plant while he recuperated. Parker distracted Paradox and caught him up in his pace, making him completely oversee the formation Parker had been planning to achieve since long.

 ** _Present:_**

"I am the fastest! I refuse to die like this!" Paradox's body vibrated in a to and fro motion.

"What the…?" Before Parker's very eyes, it was now Matt being electrocuted by his arrows.

Paradox substituted Matt in his place breaking out of the lightning barrier.

"AAAH!" Matt was trying hold back the pain, however he ended up shrieking. Parker immediately came to his rescue destroying the pentagram formation. Matt was unconscious, still breathing thanks to the insulation on his suit.

Parker sensed killing intent, however it was too late. Paradox fractured his jaw, his hands before he had the time to react.

Holding the 2 heroes over the edge of the rooftops, "So this is where you meet your sorry demise! I told you didn't I, Flash? I am going to win….always!" Paradox flung the 2 heroes over the rooftops.

"Dammit!" Parker thought to himself. "I don't want to die!" He looked over his friend's unconscious body as they were in free fall.

From what it looked like, Parker thought he had just seen a yellow streak from far. Within moments, he and Matt were grabbed by a cloaked speedster scaling the walls, who just happened to throw a lightning bolt sending Paradox flying back.

"What?! Don't tell me…you are back…" Paradox tried to find the speedster, but he had vanished along with Parker and Matt.

 ** _Flashback:_**

Hans Wilmer was at the forensic lab awaiting the results of a DNA fingerprinting that was being carried out.

"Hans, your speculation was right. The fingerprint on the knife is indeed of Daniel West."

Hans lost his breath for a moment. He could not believe what he had just seen. He wanted his speculation to be wrong, but unfortunately that was not the case. He needed water to help calm the anxiety attack he was facing.

"This fact needs to be hidden from Parker at all costs."


	12. From the future

Alice and Molly were tending to Parker and Matt, while Kellum held back the stranger draped in the black cloak.

"Their vitals are responding well. They just need some bed rest for now." Molly comforted Alice who was hurting over witnessing the 2 heroes broken.

"Who are you? Another villainous speedster plotting secretly to take over the city?" Kellum stayed alert with a freeze gun in his hand to stop the speedster in case he pulled any tricks.

The stranger removed his hoodie covering his face and at the same time shocked the 3 scientists to the core.

"It cannot be….Parker?! But you are there in the ward, so how are you before us?" Kellum was going dizzy from the all the crazy things they were pitted against these past few days, while Molly and Alice just tried to take in deep breaths to remain calm.

"You may not believe me, but I am from the future and Paradox is an old enemy. I chased him back to the past of my time as he plans to kill my old self disrupting the timeline we are living in." Future Parker had just said something that was difficult to wrap one's head around. Time travel?

"So it is true! Time travel is possible for speedsters like you! The stories about Zoom, Reverse-flash, Flash travelling through time were all real and not fabricated!...Oh boy, so right now, you are not present in your future timeline but now stuck in…. your past?" Kellum's mind was going haywire. So many unexplained theories just jolted his mind with the concept of time travel.

"Hey, Kellum! Take a break. Just sit down. You look panicked…" Future Parker helped Kellum break out of the psych.

"So Paradox is from your time?" Alice tried to surmise the recent turn of events.

"Yes, he is. And if he changes the past, my timeline's connection with this one will cease to exist. Besides I cannot divulge any information regarding the future that would sever the connection with this past."

"What the f***K?!" The present Parker regained his consciousness and was stunned seeing his doppelganger in front of him. He flashed forward and pinned his future self to the wall. "Who are you?!"

"Parker, no! He is…your future self." Kellum tried to stop the 2 versions of the same speedster.

"So it was you that night! At Parker's room when he was admitted." Matt came out subsequently pressing against his rib cage for support. Paradox had dealt a good amount of damage to his lower rib.

"What are you talking about?" Parker was confused at the fact that Matt met his future.

The future Parker activated his voice filter, "I am sorry for this, Parker. But this was the perfect day."

Parker moved back in horror. His mind convoluted. "You…you are the one who had zapped me that day. I could never forget this voice and those lines…..Why?!" Parker punched his future self, right in the jaw making him bleed.

"Wait…what is happening? I can't seem to catch on." This was totally out of Molly's area of expertise.

"What is happening is..my future self, travelled back in time and endangered my life!" Parker was not ready to listen to any reason from his future, which got on the latter's nerve.

"Hey! It was a gamble alright! I endangered your life as well as mine, because if you cease to exist, I do too! So don't give me the I almost died scenario bullshit!...The fact now is, you have the powers and I the expertise. I can train you to become stronger. Paradox will not let this down easy." Future Parker wanted a truce over what happened lately.

"A team..with you? Pfft….I cannot do this with someone I cannot trust." Parker was still adamant.

"As usual, I was a crybaby, back in my past." Said the future self, taunting his past self.

"Parker, cool your head down! You are the one acting rash! Obviously our latest fight with Paradox ended in a failure. If it weren't for you," Matt too was trying hard to digest the fact that he was seeing 2 Parkers in front of him, "both of us would have died."

"Well, future-me, if you are so strong, why can't you handle Paradox alone?" Parker refuted

"Because I lost my speed. Paradox stole it. Just like how he was about to steal yours. I have been stranded here for the past 10 years. I can just access the speedforce temporarily using this tachyon prototype, which I built." Future Parker showed the prototype, which was attached to his chest.

"Oh my….this device. I need to do some research on it. If this can absorb the speed force, we can probably try to get your powers back!" Kellum took the device in for some testing.

"I need you to trust me, we don't have much time. Parker, you have to trust me to protect your civilization." Parker was unwilling however he had no choice. "If you ever try to hurt the people dear to me, I will go for the kill." Parker left the scene.

"Never knew he had the intensity." The future Parker was puzzled at the audacity of his past self to threaten.

"Kid has learnt how to bear fangs, working with me." Matt joked. "On a serious note, Paradox…what is his ulterior motive."

"I don't know for sure, but I do know, he can kill. He has become more powerful now after absorbing my speed however his hunger is insatiable. Matt, Parker can't do this without your help."

"I am not going anywhere." Matt reinstated.

Future Parker was glad the confrontation worked out well. Seeing Alice ignoring Matt's glances, he thought to himself, "Hope this does not create a big change in the future events."

"Matt, confess to her already, before she moves on. You may never be able to get together again." Future Parker whispered in his ears and left the scene, while Matt looked on in her direction.

 ** _Flashback (VI):_**

"Here take this!" Camille, Uniyagi's right hand handed over the bow and arrows to Matt. "He said, you aim better with these than a gun."

"That's true….by the way how did you track me down?!"

"You know the day before, that lump on your body, which you just brushed off saying it was a mosquito bite…"

"Yes…." Matt knew something was coming his way.

"Well, I implanted a tracer in you, obviously after I drugged you in your sleep." Camille calm poker-face had Matt flip out.

"What?! I doubt whether you are the good guys at times."

"Well, make up your mind. The journey is going to end up getting wackier."


	13. Speed(Part I)

**_Nightfall:_**

The guards were on their duty at the maximum security prison. Unknown to them there was an outsider who crept in front of their eyes. The inmates were restless spewing death threats to whoever responsible for their state. A guard was on patrol with 2 of them guarding the entrance to a chamber which read "Maximum Security-Proceed with caution" in bold.

4 inmates were kept barred inside and were laughing hysterically. "The Joker says, you all have been bad…." The leader of the pack warned in a hushed tone which broke into inexplicable laughter.

"These guys have spoiled the circus for me." A guard told the other, when the alarm went off and the guard supervising the other inmates was knocked out by something unseen. The other guards stayed alert with their guns pointed in thin air. "Show yourself!"

Just then a pile of sand grabbed one of the guards and threw him across the hall. The sand then materialized revealing the ambusher to be a middle aged man with frizzy hair. The guard fired shots at him but all the bullet seeped through his body. "Haven't you seen movies? Guys like us cannot be killed by gun!" Saying this the sand-man just knocked him out-cold.

The clowns inside were just too excited to know what had transpired outside when the door busted open.

"Ready to taste freedom?!" The sand-man smirked.

"Jokerz! Time to show the city, how powerful the Joker really is!" The leader ended with a frenzied laughter as the screen turned black.

 ** _Next Day:_**

"Break out at the maximum security prison yesterday! A group of four calling themselves the 'Jokerz' escaped, the break out being caused by some guys who apparently could turn into sand." Matt threw the newspaper at the desk frustrated of what might come their way.

"The Jokerz!...This rings a familiar article in my head." Kellum searched his database for more information. "Yes! Have you guys heard about the Joker before? A criminal mastermind, a psychopath who enjoyed tormenting the civilians of Gotham City. He had the distinct appearance of a clown but a scary one. The Batman's arch-nemesis, he had this ability to get into the minds of people and twist their personalities in ways one could never imagine. He died, having being killed by Tim Drake, the third Robin after he was driven almost completely insane by the bleached criminal…..It seems his death had spawned gangs who are still continuing his legacy."

"What about that sand-dude?" Parker knew that another meta-human was on the loose and had to be captured before there were any casualties.

"No data on him. The guards being questioned said that he had altered his face with sand to hide his identity." Kellum reported.

"4 psychopaths on the loose and a meta! This day could not get any worse!" Matt's brain was plagued with the hidden intentions of millionaire, Neclord Black, who had just recently suggested to destroy his homeplace and rebuilt it anew!

"Are you okay, Matt? You never had any outbursts like that lately." Matt nodded saying everything is fine to Parker and left off as he now had a company's existence looming over his head.

 ** _In an abandoned broken down garage:_**

"I hope you have understood your motive." Sand-man had freed the Jokerz for a reason.

"Why should we follow?! The Jokerz already has one leader. We do not need anyone to impose on us!" One of the lackeys tried to threaten the meta.

"It's better you stick to what you have been told. He will come for our throats otherwise." An expression of uneasiness spread over the meta who had no problems in breaking dangerous criminals out of a maximum security prison.

"Bolt and Shadow, right?! Well then, I already have something insidious planned for our 2 heroes." The leader gave a sinister smile which was then reflected on the faces of his lackeys.

The meeting with Neclord Black was due today. Matt had already made up his mind as he headed towards the Genesys Corporation. The atmosphere seemed plagued. The board of directors were present and Neclord Black was ready to start the voting.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you have decided to cast your vote in the favor of this project of rebuilding the city." Black addressed.

"The scale of this project, what is it? You had earlier said about destroying this city. Did you really mean that?" Matt interrupted.

"The city needs to be cleansed Mr. Matt. By that I mean the present needs to be destroyed to give way for a new one…This project is going to start with the destruction of bay area."

"What?! But innocent lives will perish! How would you account for that?!" Matt was trying to suppress his emotions.

"We don't need to. Those lives are acting as the stepping stones to future success. Fear needs to be instilled in order for this city to survive. The destruction will cause loss of property, lives and ultimately thrive to achieve the level of fear required to maintain control over this city." Black said all this with a smile on his face, as if human lives meant nothing at all to him.

"I think the vigilante is already doing that! This fear you talk about, is slowly being reinstated through means that do not cause collateral damage or result in the death of civilians." Matt was continuing his one to one with Black as the other board of directors quietly listened. Many of them had an inkling of fear instilled on their faces, yet they kept mum and seemed to agree with Black.

"The vigilante, is a curse that is eating away this city! He is not instilling fear but is inspiring monsters!...Coming back to the topic, I see that, Mr Matt, you are not very fond of this idea of mine." Black regained his composure after having a breakdown.

"Yes Black! I don't! I am not going to let my company be a part of a project that is going to endanger the lives of civilians. I stand by my moral codes. I am sorry! But as a civilian too, I cannot let you proceed with the project." Matt had taken a stand.

"I am sorry….who told you that you were the boss of me?" Black's nerve was ticking.

"Who told you, that you were the boss of this city?! If civilians die, you and your company as well as the board of directors involved, go down too. My company was built to help the civilians and I am going to continue to do so, in whatever way possible." Matt's strong gaze left the minds of the people involved in a chaotic state. "I would like to take my leave now." Matt left the building pondering over what consequences this meeting have on the days to go on. Black was displeased and Matt certainly was on his naughty list.

 ** _Flashback(VII):_**

"Any intel?" Camille and Matt were on the run. "Seemed like the guys back there were just mindless slaves. They did not know anything."

"The docks! They were trading what seemed to be a biological weapon. The material was crated. Don't know the scenario over there right now…Wait! Take cover!" Matt got Camille in a narrow alley connecting the streets.

"What?!" Camille did not get the gist of the situation.

"The guy over there, in the black suit. He was one of the people chasing me down the streets once I got caught spying on their illegal activities at the dock."

The mystery man in the suit was on the lookout for something. He was not accompanied by anyone else.

"He might have the intel we need! Can't you just shoot him with those arrows of yours" Camille lost her patience.

"Wait! Don't want to take a risk by killing someone on a crowded street! Need to get to a suitable location for interrogation. I will act as the decoy." Matt had a place in his mind.

Just as Matt planned, the mystery man fell for his bait and chased after him into the alley where Camille took him out from behind.

"Where am I?" The man regained his consciousness but found himself tied in the same manner as Matt had been in earlier.

"Time for answers! 10 seconds you have for each question! You don't abide and you will start loosing the sensation of your body parts one by one!" Matt's eyes were cold devoid of emotion which scared a master assassin like Camille as well.

 ** _Present:_**

Parker was running some pending tests at superhuman speed in the forensic lab pertaining to previous criminal records. It was at work, that he completely felt at peace especially since things went wacky after Paradox imposed his reigns on the city. He was rummaging through the files in the cupboard, when he came across one which read, 'Martha West/Daniel West'.

As a teenager, he never had the liberty to get involved in his parents' death. He opened the file fearing what he would find inside. Evidences, forensic reports of only his mom were included in that file. There was not even a single mention about his dad. It was a tough and heartbreaking moment for the son to go through the reports of his mom's death. What was even more overbearing, was that there was no single record of his father. As if this wasn't tormenting enough, the television broadcast had been hacked now displaying the Jokerz gang.

"Welcome to our revolution, dear civilians! The Joker's ideals had prevailed over our dear Gotham city. Now that he isn't here anymore…a minute for our condolences…now that he isn't here anymore, it is our responsibility to spread his fear and ideals throughout. But unfortunately, vigilantes of this city, Shadow and Bolt have made it difficult for us. So this is an open challenge to them! Hand yourselves over for the sake of this city, otherwise this city won't live to shine another day. HAHAHAHAHA!" The laughter had the menace strong enough to send down the chills for anyone watching it.

"Try to track it now! There has to be some way they managed to do that!" The entire police department went into a frenzy.

"Kellum, did you see the broadcast! Any updates on the location?" Parker immediately contacted Kellum

"Parker, even I could not figure out how they did that. The video did not exactly give away any details about where they shot the broadcast from…."

"The Bellen Toy Factory! The reflection is his eyes, that bear toy is only sold in one place and it is the factory." The future Parker was quick enough to discern the smallest of facts. "But don't, this might be a trap!" The future Parker warned his other self to not take the bait.

"Sorry, future me! But this is an opportunity and I am not letting it go waste!" Parker flashed out of the building.

"Dammit Parker! Why was I so impulsive?!" The future Parker tried reasoning but to no avail.

Parker reached the factory and found no one. "Guys, no one here!"

"Get out of there!" Future Parker warned. Just then a tape recorder at the factory started playing.

"Welcome Mr. Bolt! You have been the first successful bait this evening!" The voice of Joker started playing in the recorder.

Programmed spinning tops started appearing out of nowhere giving Bolt no space to escape.

"This is bad! One move and I explode…." Parker thought of a way to escape the trap he led himself into.

Seeing that the roof was his only way out, Parker made a wind funnel by rotating his arms and directed towards the ground propelling him upwards, shattering the roof. He managed to escape just in the nick of time as the factory was now doused in flames.

"Well that was a lucky escape!" Parker was glad he did not get sheesh-kababed.

"Not as lucky as you think, Bolt!" The sand beneath Parker started to shift tripping him over and before he knew, the sand materialized into the meta. "The infamous sand-man who broke psychopaths out of the maximum security prison…Doesn't it have a good ring to it?"

"Well there is a popular saying that goes, 'Good things don't last long'?" Parker too had his moments of wise quips.

"Well, we just have to see about who lasts longer in this fight." The meta's unique body texture allowed his to extend his fist towards Bolt in split second.

Parker dodged all the extended punches thrown at him and zoomed in the get a clear hit at the meta.

"Guess you are not fast enough!" Parker punched the meta in the gut but his punch seeped through his body trapping the speedster.

"Don't mess with sand, boy!" Having caught the speedster, the meta magnified his arm and punched the speedster sending him flying several meters away.

As the meta converted his entire body into a flying pile of sand, Parker used his wind funnel to blow him away. "Guess I do have some tricks up my sleeve."

Parker saw the scenery around him and feared the worst. It was sandy all around.

"Guess you finally realized the real purpose of this trap." The meta started to absorb the sand around him making him stronger by the minute. His body shot out sand bullets at high pressure lethal enough to cause grave wounds. Parker tried avoiding all of them but the count did not stop hitting Parker at his vitals. He was down on the ground gasping for breath.

"The city's so called savior is so weak?!" The meta taunted the speedster as he prepared to finish him off. The moment his body materialized , Parker flashed from the side, giving a strong blow to the cranium of the meta blowing his head off or so it seemed.

"I can never be killed, Bolt!" The meta's head started to regenerate from the sand.

"F**k! You are worse than a horror film!" Parker was head-butted by the meta leaving down for the count.

"How do you feel about being suffocated to death?" The meta used his sand to bind Parker and then aimed for his face to suffocate him to death, when an explosive arrow blew half of the meta's body, freeing Parker.

"Missed me?" Matt had come for the speedster's rescue just in time.


	14. Speed(Part II)

"Parker! Any suggestions?!" Both Matt and Parker were being blinded by the sand and being flung around.

"This guy materializes after using his powers over a period of time, however that gap is too small. I had tried attacking once, guess I was not fast enough….I am never fast enough!" Parker was reminded of the day he witnessed his parents' dead bodies being carried into the ambulance. Just then the meta threw in a powerful blow but Matt shielded him and took the blow.

"Parker! You are fast! Besides, it's not your speed that makes you special, it's your ability to grasp and invent that does so! So buckle up! I don't prefer sandy graves!" Matt got back on his feet

Parker now motivated by the vigilante had a different kind of energy brimming in his eyes. "Matt, you create the opening, and I will make sure I get my punches connected."

Matt smirked and kept barraging the meta with arrows. He mixed them up with explosive ones. The meta kept regenerating from the explosion which used up a significant amount of his power. Just then Parker caught hold of the meta and dealt blows as strong and fast as possible. He attacked all joints and ended with a blow to the chest. However, the meta still did not fall over. Parker, now angry went forward with the intention to end it, but he his punch was blocked by a wall of sand created by the meta and then pushed back several feet away.

He then created a sandstorm trapping Shadow and Bolt in the eye of it. Parker realizing that, defeating him right now would not be possible, took Matt and flashed out of the sandstorm and back to the city.

"Kellum, Molly! I got a sample. Go ahead with the tests. The fight was decided from the start. That guy has no weaknesses." Parker handed over the sample he had collected during the fight with meta.

"Brilliant! Probably now we can find a way to defeat the meta." Molly and Kellum proceeded with the testing.

"When did you that?" Matt inquired.

"I learnt it from you." Parker joked.

"You endangered yourself as well as Matt over there! I had warned you!" The future Parker confronted himself over their close encounter with death.

"I had to take the risk!..."

"Over what?! You could have died back then."

"That's the risk I was willing to take as someone who wants to protect this city! You know, I may have become more powerful and wise in the future, but I think I lost the essence of a hero somewhere along the way. I lost the very reason that gave me the abilities of a speedster." Saying this Parker left to help Molly and Kellum review the results of the sample.

His words pricked his future self somewhere. "Did I really change so much? Probably he does not understand that this speed comes at a price." The future Parker was left pondering.

"He is impulsive at times, I know, but that quality is what makes him Parker, don't you think? He is strong. I have seen him learn from his battles. He is getting strong and you can help accelerate the process. Who else can give him a better advice than his future self."

"Huh? You had never ever been good advisor." The future Parker took it in a lighthearted manner.

"Well, things change over time, especially, when the city gets plagued by superhumans and people from the future." Matt joked to disrupt the air of seriousness.

"His name is Sand Demon. Well that's the name I gave it. I had defeated him before back in my timeline... It's strange, that he made an appearance now. "

"Well then, it may either be sheer coincidence or someone is pulling the strings. It's usually the second one though."

"I need to make Parker stronger and that's possible only if he stops behaving like a jerk."

"Well, you were behaving like a dick too. You have to loosen up in order to build a working relationship with him. You know that too. Paradox had plagued your timeline, but now you have the chance to undo that."

"You give pretty good advises, try to adhere to them as well instead of making other people worry about you incessantly." Alice made an appearance taunting Matt. "I attached a couple of extra micro scale cams at various points in the city. They are undetectable to a naked eye, but when viewed on the computer, you get the entire navigation of the city. Been working on this since morning. Should be easy to detect suspicious activity now."

"That's pretty sweet, dude!" Matt was amazed at her expertise and tried to appreciate it.

"Don't you have a city to watch over, at this point?" Alice shot out at him with hurtful sarcasm. Matt did not display any emotions on his face and left the room. "If only you were the Matt I knew, if only you emoted yourself to me."

 ** _Flashback(VIII):_**

"AAAH!" The man had an arrow pierced in one of his arms and legs.

"Tell me! Where is he? What is he planning?!" Matt kept inserting the arrow deeper and deeper to inflict pain. "It's better you tell me! I insert it a little more and you will lose your arms and legs!"

"Please, don't kill me. I will….will tell. Our company, the OMEGA has been a pioneer in the field of biotech. But he wanted something more….he wanted to build a drug that would enhance a human and grant strength and intelligence. Research had been going on several years with rats as test subjects. Many failed, some succeeded. We could not understand the reason. He was impatient. He wanted to speed the process. He wanted to create a world, where no one would be weak. So we started selecting the poor as test subjects in return of money. We exploited them. Results were horrendous. I was not in charge of that so don't have any info. But I know…3 of them passed and had been turned into deadly soldiers." The man's consciousness was fading.

"Where is he now?"

"Highest point. He is fleeing this city, with the supplies. His motive is not…..yet over." The man's sight faded and he died due to excessive blood loss.

"Highest point?...what did he mean?" Camille was confused

"Highest point in the city. The AstroCorp Towers!" Matt was preparing to leave.

"You could have given him an easy death. This was torture."

"That was the point of it. In fact he is in a better place now, hopefully. Death is not painful. The process and fear of it is." A killer was reflected in Matt's eyes. Camille froze in her place from seeing into them a bit too deep…..

 ** _Present:_**

"Guys, huddle up. I viewed the sample Parker gave me yesterday…..Sand Demon's body is composed of cells whose myasthenic protein have migrated to the cells' periphery. The cells can rearrange and harden, giving the appearance of sand, which he transmutes his entire body into to attack or avoid attacks." Molly explained in details while Matt, Alice, Kellum stared at her puzzled at how to process the information since it was clearly out their area of expertise.

"So how do we beat him?" Parker asked.

"Using electricity. I had fought him before in the future and now Parker you are going to do the same," Future Parker commented.

"Electricity? I can do that? Never done that before." Parker was surprised at the fact that he could throw lightning.

"Your body generates the electricity which if harnessed correctly can be used as a weapon. I have to teach you how to do that, if you are able to forget the differences we have had before." Future Parker was hopeful his present self would attend to the request.

"I am ready to get stronger, if you stop being a jerk. Well, I will tone down my impulsiveness as well if that's what you want…If I had learned this before, I could have probably defeated Blackout with ease and Matt would have been saved from the beating he took that day…." Parker was ready to kick butt.

"Hey! For your kind information, I held myself pretty well against that guy despite being a normal human!" Matt tried defending himself in a lighthearted manner.

"So when do we start?!" Parker was eager to learn a new move.

"Right now!" The future Parker finally had someone under his tutelage even if that person was his younger self.

Matt arrived at the office to find his company's shareholders engaged in a serious conversation.

"Any problem, gentlemen?" Matt was not alerted about any such development.

"Yes, there is Mr. Matt and a big one. Unfortunately you are the one responsible. Mr. Black has agreed to buy the company shares at a price higher than the market yet you don't seem very fond of this acquisition."

"I am not going to give that man, any ownership rights!"

"You fail to understand the profits in this, Mr. Matt! Our company can be propelled to even greater heights! Lately the improvement in the stocks have been very stagnant. Genesys Corporation is known for their technology in medical supplements and it is currently a rage in the market. Teaming up is bound to bring back our company in the field."

"Don't you understand his motive! He plans to destroy the bay! You cannot be serious about this. Putting yourself at a pedestal over other civilians!"

"Mr. Matt, we have invested in this company! Lately this plague in the city has been terrorizing our stocks. Black is thinking in the long term basis. So what if there are a few casualties. People are born everyday! We better reap the benefits! Because if we feel that staying with this company would not give us the stability we need, we might as well, change you, or give our shares to Black for a higher price giving him the control he needs for this company." The part owners of the company left giving Matt a deadline for 1 month.

"How can they be so heartless?!" Matt was enraged as he hit his desk in anger while Raventail watched from far. "I am sorry Matt, but if I lose my family, I will lose everything!"

"Focus, Parker! Focus!" Parker was running in circles and trying to harness the electricity to direct in the right direction on his other self's command.

"Dammit!" Parker was not able to control the direction of the harnesses energy.

"Parker! Sand Demon on broadcast!" Kellum alerted the news to the speedster.

"If you are listening to me, Bolt, come meet at the warehouse downtown in 5. Only you! The moment I sense a double cross, I will end up activating the bomb." He panned to camera to Molly who had been abducted and tied to a chair with an explosive.

"Molly!" Parker was angry as he could not tolerate seeing his friends in danger. "Tell Matt not to make a move! This guy is mine!" Parker flashed out as he had to make it before time ran out.

"Kellum! I saw the broadcast! Parker?" Matt contacted Kellum fearing that Parker was heading to another trap.

"He flashed out and told you to stay put."

"I can't do that! That guy is clearly out of his league."

"We can't help it, Matt! Molly's life is in danger. We cannot risk her over this. Besides, it's time you let Parker face this alone…..Wait! Another broadcast is streaming now!"

This time the Jokerz made their appearance again. "Hello once again, civilians of the city! We have decided to make a proposal to our dearest knight of the city, Mr. Shadow! You hand over yourself to us and we would spare the lives the civilians in return! How does that sound? You come over to the docks to do so. You just have 10 minutes on you to make it or something will go boom! Tick tock…tick tock" The broadcast switched off. Alice who was outside witnessed the entire thing and saw the uproar it created amongst the crowd. People went haywire and everywhere, only one thing was being echoed, "Will the Shadow sacrifice himself to save this city?!" Alice felt her heart throbbing and left for the lab.

"Leave her alone!" Parker reached on time.

"Well, why don't you make me?! The moment she is moved even a little, the sensor activates and you would not want her brains splattered out!"

Molly's lips were sealed. She was afraid, her eyes said it all. "You son of a b**ch!" Parker flashed in while the meta transmuted his body into sand.

"Here I am! Show yourself! Just like you asked, I came!" Matt had reached the docks and was on the lookout for the 4 maniacs. It was getting dark. Matt thought he had the footsteps. But he was ready. Playing hid and seek in the dark was his favourite game afterall.

Matt closed his eyes and strengthened his senses. He was now aware of his whole perimeter. He heard a noise coming his way, when he shot a flashlight which burst a few meters high up in the air blinding his opponent behind him.

"My eyes!" Matt launched a strong kick to the chest sending the opponent flying back. He launched 2 explosive arrows giving away the position of the other 3 and proceeded to knock them out swiftly using a combination of punches to the chest followed attacking them in close range with the bow.

Parker and Sand Demon were engaged in a fist to fist battle at high speed. His attacks were seeping through yet he kept on going at the meta using a series of speed based combination attacks.

"Where is Matt?!" Alice reached the lab in a panicked state.

"He …left. Have faith in him, Alice." Future Parker tried comforting her.

"Well, well, well, you are quite the combatant! However things would not be playing in our favor then!" The leader was quite resilient so were the others.

"Give it up! You have nowhere to go!"

"Well, you are stealing our lines! Let's work out a new deal….you stand in the centre while we beat you to death. How about it?!"

"And how are you going to make me?" Matt thought his opponents were stupid.

"How about we give you the incentive to do so? 4 bombs scattered throughout the city, at my control. You try to attempt to hit us, this goes bang and people flying across the city. HAHAHAHA!" Any one who had encountered the Joker before would be fazed by how the leader was acting so much like the bleached monster.

"You have got to be kidding me! Please don't!" Matt felt fear he had never experienced before. A city's life was resting on his shoulders this very moment.

"Do I like look I am joking?!" The leader's smile played on in Matt's head. He agreed to take the blow for the city he wanted to protect. "I am going in guys," He whispered into his earpiece.

"No! Dammit Matt, now who is the one being reckless!" Kellum tried to find a way to locate the bombs.

"The city topography. The navigation system can be used. Obviously the target places have to be the crowded ones. Kellum, can you locate all the places with high activity using a processing algorithm?" Alice was thinking on her feet.

"On it!" Kellum got busy while future Parker tried contacting his present-self asking him his status.

"Parker you there?!" He tried getting the connection.

"I am a bit busy here!" Parker was dodging an incoming barrage of attacks from the meta. I can't defeat him! His body does not seem to flinch even the slightest!" Parker was being beaten around the bush literally.

On the other hand Matt was at the mercy of the Jokerz. His brain was violently beating against his skull after having a bat swoop straight across his face. The Jokerz tormented the helpless hero.

"Ugh!" He felt a chain strangle him. The bulkiest of the group was trying his best to suffocate him while Matt was involved in a struggle to keep the chain from cutting across his neck to prevent severe blood loss.

"Protecting the city is my duty! Well, how do you feel now dying for this city, Mister?! How do you feel getting killed slowly every moment." The leader taunted the broken savior holding his bruised face, being shielded by the mask.

They flung Matt across the ground, but still his eyes did not close. His gaze was strong which was intoxicating the leader. Matt managed to get on his 2 feet, when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He was stabbed, but he decided not to pull the knife out as it could kill him due to blood loss.

"Parker! Listen to me! Matt is going to get killed at this rate! You have to execute the technique I taught you. We don't have much time!"

"I can't! I could not do it that time, neither can I now!"

"Yes you can! Listen to me, Parker! You have been given this gift to save people. So save Matt and Molly as Bolt, no save them as the Flash you turn out be in the future!" Future Parker yelled out his emotions into the microphone.

Parker was standing, not flinching any more. He was fast and it was high time he had stopped doubting himself. He flashed in circles around Sand Demon confusing him of his motive. Finally when he had enough electricity generates he harnessed it and threw it will all his might. The Sand Demon tried to prevent it but was too late as he felt his body harden and become glass.

Parker shattered the meta to pieces. He then untied Molly and nearly escaped the ringing explosion as they both bombarded the wall. Parker flashed out with Molly and headed towards the lab.

"Guys! The explosives!" Parker reached the lab in a jiffy handing Molly over to Alice. Kellum had tracked down 6 such possible places and handed the speedster the necessary intel. "Please save him." Alice requested Parker.

Matt lay wasted still breathing, his eyes still open but trying to figure out what had conspired the past 10 mins. He was dying to protect the city, but the fact was that he did not want to die. He wanted to live to watch over the city another day.

"How about we see the man behind this infamous mask now?" The leader proceed to remove the mask off the fallen warrior.

Parker ran against time and searched all the possible places tracking down the explosives. Having field training, Parker knew what to do and dislocated the bombs. Having breathed a sigh of relief, "Guys the bombs are down!"

Hearing this, Matt's body gained a miraculous energy and sent the leader flying back with his bow. He proceeded to injure the legs of the rest using his arrows and knocked them down with straight out of the boxing match KO punches.

"You did not stick to the deal and now I won't!" The leader proceeded to activate the trigger but to no avail. The bombs had been defused. "Uh-Oh"

Matt jumped a considerable far distance and kneed him straight into the teeth. He punched his diaphragm, took out his left jaw, when the maniac pulled a dirty move on him closing in on him on purpose, removing the knife that was jamming the blood loss. Matt felt a sharp prick, his legs could not withstand it. The leader was about to smash him across the face to end the game when a flying device hit his hand rendering him weaponless.

Before Matt, he stood tall, with a jet black cape draping over his body. His costume resembled the infamous bat. His voice sounded familiar. "Every Joker that lives, will have a Batman to haunt them!" He said in a rough, grizzly voice.

"Impossible! Y-you were supposed to be dead! How come…" Before completing his sentence the leader was knocked out cold.

Matt's sight was getting dim. Was it really the Batman in front of him? If he was, who was the one behind the Mask? Bruce Wayne died years back in the explosion at the Wayne Manor after his face had been revealed to the public. Was that just a sham?

Parker reached for the docks soon finding only Matt lying on his back, unconscious but his knife wound stitched. He caught his friend and sped away into the city lights.

 ** _At somewhere unknown, far away:_**

Batman removed his mask. With his head facing away, he said, "They are ready to don their true lineage now."


End file.
